Daily Reading for Tuesday, April 20th, 2021

Reading 1, Acts 7:51-8:1

⁵¹ 'You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.

⁵² Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Upright One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers.

⁵³ In spite of being given the Law through angels, you have not kept it.'

⁵⁴ They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.

⁵⁵ But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

⁵⁶ 'Look! I can see heaven thrown open,' he said, 'and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.'

⁵⁷ All the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they made a concerted rush at him,

⁵⁸ thrust him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.

⁵⁹ As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'

⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and said aloud, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' And with these words he fell asleep.

¹ Saul approved of the killing. That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles scattered to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 31:3-4, 6, 7, 8, 17, 21

³ You are my rock, my rampart; true to your name, lead me and guide me!

⁴ Draw me out of the net they have spread for me, for you are my refuge;

⁶ you hate those who serve useless idols; but my trust is in Yahweh:

⁷ I will delight and rejoice in your faithful love! You, who have seen my misery, and witnessed the miseries of my soul,

⁸ have not handed me over to the enemy, but have given me freedom to roam at large.

¹⁷ I call on you, Yahweh, so let disgrace fall not on me, but on the wicked. Let them go down to Sheol in silence,

²¹ Blessed be Yahweh who works for me miracles of his faithful love (in a fortified city)!

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